A joint search effort by the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office and Sabine Parish led to the recovery of human skeletal remains near Marthaville, according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.

 

Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright, Sabine Parish Sheriff Aaron Mitchell, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Detectives, Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Detectives, members of the NPSO Dive Team, and the North Sabine Parish Dive Team discovered human skeletal remains on May 24 around 10:44 am in water and on the outer banks of a private pond off of Preston Hayes Road near Marthaville.

 

Detectives working the case remain tight lipped but say the search was the result of a tip and investigation into a missing person reported in the area.

 

Natchitoches Parish Coroner Steven Clanton responded to the scene along with Natchitoches Regional Medical Center EMS and Natchitoches Parish Fire Protection District #7. The skeletal remains were carefully collected by the Coroner’s Office for further evaluation. The remains will be transported by the Coroner’s Office to the LSU Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services Lab for positive identification and further analysis.

 

Natchitoches Parish Coroner Steven Clanton stated, “It appears the remains had been in that area for a few years.”

 

Detectives and dive team members remained on scene throughout the afternoon sifting through the shallow pond water and on the outer banks for any additional evidence that may assist in the investigation. Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Jonathan Byles, says the recovery of the remains were made in an area approximately three-fourths of a mile from where Natchitoches and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Detectives searched for Steven Burkett over the course of the past two years.

 

A positive identification of the remains has not been made, however, family and friends of Mr. Burkett have been notified of today’s recovery.

 

Sheriff Stuart Wright said, “Our detectives along with the assistance of Sabine Parish detectives have been tirelessly investigating this missing person from the very beginning along with other missing person cases. We follow the leads, facts and evidence where it may take us. Our detectives and Sabine Parish detectives are continuing to aggressively pursue developing leads in this case and hopefully we can bring closure to this victim’s family.”

 

If you have any information please contact the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau at 357-7830.